Bengaluru: Within four months of kick-starting a corporate commuter nudge programme, more than 1,500 employees of Hebbagodi-based bio-pharma giant Biocon switched to public transport.The programme was implemented in April, under which employees were provided incentives if they used public transport for their work commute. It led to Rs 66 lakh in additional revenue for BMRCL.Before the programme was introduced, the number of cab users was 1,396, which has now dropped to 858, a 39% decline.The programme has also earned BMTC an additional revenue of around Rs 1.1 lakh through 253 passes initiated. According to data shared by World Resources Institute India (WRI), the initiative saved 156 metric tonnes of carbon emissions and around 68,000 litres of fuel.A similar system executed with Electronics City Industrial Township Authority (ELCITA) has also produced significant change. With a total of 250 National Common Mobility Cards (NCMC) issued to those working in Electronics City, 11,836 trips were completed on the Metro.Srinivas Alavilli, Fellow at WRI India, stated the availability of public transport isn’t just enough. “Behaviour change needs targeted nudges—incentives, gamification and social norms—layered to make the sustainable choice the easy one,” he said.He added if at least 100 companies encourage employees to choose public transport, the city could improve its air quality and make a significant improvement in traffic flow.
